I'm now kind of in new territory for me in that my previous short running career from 2005 - 2007 I ran no further races after my one & only spring 2006 marathon. I sort of took the "well that's a marathon done/been there done that" attitude and my running was very patchy & uncommitted after that. I did commence marathon training again for a spring 2007 marathon but my heart wasn't really in it, had poor base training prior, didn't enjoy the training and picked up an injury 6 weeks from race day and dropped out.... never to run again until march 2012.

This time's different, very different. I feel very motivated, I am enjoying the training, itching to get into some hard training again after my marathon and eager to get several more races done + an autumn marathon.

So I'm interested to see if I can improve further or will I plateau? ....as I say it is new territory pushing on with training after a marathon. I am keen to preserve the fitness accumulated during the last 18 weeks and see how far I can improve it.

I have gone from a 2:06HM last June to a 1:42HM 6 weeks ago but realise the law of diminishing returns will apply and further improvements will probably only be small.

Primary Goals before end of the year: sub 100mins for HM & sub 3:40 marathon

I have had a bit of time to think overnight as I have been having random shooting pains in my back depending on my sleeping position and I feel after yesterday there is still unfinished business regarding marathon running.

It has been my intention to move to Ultra but I think that will wait until 2014 now.

Dublin is going to get it!!

There was a strong indidcator I could of possibly done 3:35 yesterday which on that course I would of done cartwheels for ( More impressive than it sounds because I've never been able to do them before nevermind after 26 miles). So part of me is convinced that on a less tougher course and a bit of a push on training, woring at that specific goal 3:30 is an attainable target and if I do that aged 42 in Dublin I'd be a very happy boy indeed.

So here is my tenative plan. Dublin in October, Ipswich and Brentwood halves during the summer alongside plenty of five and tens ks.

There is still some speed in these old legs, maybe not today though so I am going to enjoy it whilst I can.

One good thing I got out of yesterday was some decent race photos. There is one at 5 miles where I look good and more oddly my best photo ever at the 26 mile mark, I look totally fine. However the photo of me around the corner at the finish paints a more realistic picture as I stumble over the line that is definitely not a keeper!

Mrs O got one of me finishing too that has me nicely framed by the St.John's Ambulances in the background. Seems apt somehow.

I'd like to thank you all on here for your support, advice, humour, words of wisdom and for being part of what kept me going through to the end yesterday. The thought of coming back home and typing DNF was the thing that got me going again. We all still have very similar ambitions for the coming months so I am looking forward to sharing with you my journey to Dublin and following us all to our autumn races.

Chapeu sir. A fine effort indeed. A few days rest will do you the world of good. A few months good training and you will definitely be knocking on the door of 3:30 ! Any other pains today, how are the legs etc ?

Everything else is fine all things considered, my left knee is a little achey but I put that down to the odd running style I had to adopt. Energy and aches wise I have got away quite lightly, it is just the occassional twinge deep within my buttock now.

The best part of it all is that my undoing was such a random mishap that I can't sit here overanalysing it. The running Gods gaveth and the running Gods taketh away yesterday but overall I feel really enthused about it all still. Not bad for a guy who was contemplating sleeping in a bush at about 1 o'clock yesterday

Great to read your race and after race reports oirish, get some good rest for a few days and don't forget to get your back looked at if its still giving you problems in a few days.

My run yesterday was a little lighter than yours, went for a 10mile at steady 8min/mile pace. Think I may do my tempo this eve depending how my Achilles feels. should I be looking at 3-4 miles at 10k pace? Is it better to do a half or mile warm up first? Or can i go straight into it?

Well done O - good to see you're philosophical about it. These things happen in marathon running, you didn't do anything wrong and there's nothing you could have done about it. It could easily have been stepping on a drinks bottle, someone tripping you, or (if you watched VLM) someone in a wheelchair taking you out. Just one of those things, but you still finished in a very decent time, so move on to the next one.

Well that's my tempo done... 4miles, splits of 7.01, 6.42, 7.12, 7.18 second mile was slightly downhill with the wind at my back, mile 3 was going back up the slope straight into the wind then mile 4 was only at pace for the first half. Hardly a consistent pace throughout but I'd say a faiso consistent effort throughout.

Great to see everyone so motivated after a mixed bag of fortunes recently!

Andrew I would have said take a mile warm up before launching into tempo pace but everyone is different I suppose. Tempo pace I would have thought should be slower than 10k pace by maybe 10-20 secs p/mile? Spoons will be along soon to clarify I expect. Those are a rapid set of splits - well done.

I ventured out this evening for my first run proper after my marathon a week ago. I have to say the legs felt great and I felt fresher than I have felt in weeks!

Ran a 6 mile progressive pace tempo run in the wind & at one point a downpour! Splits:

8:24 (w/up); 7.58; 7:47; 7:33; 7:18; 7:12

Only negative was my groin strain is still nagging a little after having disappeared over last few days. Funny thing was when I finished the run & stretched it has all but gone again.

Well done O - good to see you're philosophical about it. These things happen in marathon running, you didn't do anything wrong and there's nothing you could have done about it. It could easily have been stepping on a drinks bottle, someone tripping you, or (if you watched VLM) someone in a wheelchair taking you out. Just one of those things, but you still finished in a very decent time, so move on to the next one.

Oirish - I stepped on a drinks bottle in Mile 8 of VLM in 2012. Really screwed my race up and struggled home in 4:23. My physio had never seen an injury quite like it.What happened yesterday was completely out of your control and you dug deep, finished in a respectable time.

Really great effort and so pleased that you have been so good humoured about it all day today when various bits of your anatomy no doubt ache somewhat.

When I came home tonight my Bupa 10k race pack was sitting on the counter. I just opened it before coming online here. I have no idea what time I said I would be doing this 10k in but my race number is 1080 and I am in Start Zone A Red !!!!!!!!!!! This is the first group off. There must be some mistake as I would have never put that kind of finish time down. Never. I mean NEVER. This is madness. I have not found any positives yet. Will need to be very clear on my race strategy or else I could be blowing up after mile 1 when I complete it in about 5 mins trying to keep up ......

It's been a sad couple of days in the Carter household. Our oldest mutt hasn't been well and we took him to the vets yesterday and he is now in the great kennel in the sky. There has been many tears in the house

Hope everyone is recovering well from their recent exploits and the training is going well for everyone else

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